Road-rage cabbie who hit cyclist jailed 2 years

A judge sentenced a former Toronto cab driver Tuesday to two years less a day in jail for mangling the leg of a cyclist during a late-night road rage dispute.

Earlier this year, Justice John McMahon found Sultan Ahmed showed a “wanton or reckless disregard” for the safety and life of the cyclist as he convicted him of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

The Ontario Superior Court judge also found Ahmed guilty of failing to remain at an accident after hitting cyclist Krzysztof (Chris) Kasztelewicz as Kasztelewicz stood beside his bike, which was leaning against a lamp pole.

But the judge found he had a reasonable doubt that the cabbie intended to deliberately hit the cyclist rather than just his bike, so acquitted him of the more serious charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon – his taxi.

Ahmed had already pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to obstruct justice by going to a car wash 13 minutes after hitting Kasztelewicz to clean the blood off the cab.

He was sentenced to consecutive terms of 12 months for criminal negligence causing bodily harm, nine months for failure to remain at the scene of the accident and three months for obstruction of justice.

On Nov. 14, 2008, Ahmed narrowly avoided colliding with the cyclist as they crossed paths at the intersection of Dovercourt Rd. and Argyle St. in west Toronto around 2:20 a.m.

The encounter sparked a loud dispute on the darkened street.

Kasztelewicz, 40, testified that he shouted for the cabbie to stop, which he did.

After leaning his bike against a lamp post, Kasztelewicz approached the cabbie to tell him he had almost hit him. The cyclist admitted he was probably loud.

He testified the cab driver swore at him and got out of the taxi to confront him, so their noses were almost touching.

Kasztelewicz said he turned back to his bike and the next thing he knew he was in St Michael’s Hospital.